Michigan confirms photographer tied to Ohio State football scandal tricked school into issuing sideline credential
Michigan athletic department officials say a man tied to an ongoing football investigation at Ohio State was credentialed under a false name to work the sidelines of the Wolverines' season opener last month.
Dennis J. Talbott, a freelance photographer from the Columbus, Ohio, area, is alleged to have paid former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor between $20,000 and $40,000 for signed memorabilia.
Talbott has been told to disassociate himself from the Buckeyes' football program.
Michigan spokesman Dave Ablauf confirmed Tuesday that Talbott, using a different name, was credentialed as a photographer to work the sidelines for the Wolverines' Sept. 3 game against Western Michigan.
Ablauf said he spoke with Talbott on Tuesday and notified him he has been barred from working home Michigan athletic contests.
"From our standpoint, it was a different name that was used ... so we felt a little duped," Ablauf told AnnArbor.com. "I immediately acted on this, once it was brought to my attention.
"Our decision was immediate that were revoking his credentials."
Talbott was taking photos for iconsportsmedia.com and at least one of them appears on SI.com. They are credited to Jay Talbott. SportsByBrooks.com reported Monday that Jay Talbott and Dennis J. Talbott are the same person.
Ablauf said he realized something was amiss when he saw the images on SI.com, because he doesn't usually credential photo distribution agencies such as iconsportsmedia.com that don't have a licensing agreement with the school.
He didn't reveal the name Talbott used to obtain the credential.
"We felt deceived," Ablauf said.
Michigan changed how it credentials photographers two years ago, switching to distributing passes on a game-by-game basis. The credentials include a name and photo to cut down on fraud.
Ablauf said Michigan plans to further evaluate how it credentials photographers.
"We're definitely going to try to look closer at these kinds of situations and monitor it," Ablauf said. "I'm not sure if there's a perfect system, but we'll look and see what we can do."
Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.
Comments
semperveritas
Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 3:17 p.m.
so let me get this straight----i am scrutized when i walk through the gates----i can't carry anything in ------i can't take in an unopened bottle of water-----and anybody with a camera is allowed to walk all over the building---- wonder where he spent the storm-out. so much for security AND i'll bet that talbott got his water free.
1st Down
Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 8:38 a.m.
PS: AA's Melanie Maxwell's game photos completely destroy this buckeye wanna-bee's attempts at photos...its not even close...the guy is an amateur photographer and professional scammer.
1st Down
Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 8:37 a.m.
So glad they banned this corrupt buckeye from The Big House. We dont need his stink anywhere near our program. There is a satellite that is supposed to crash to ground from space in the next couple of days, and they dont know exactly where it is going to hit. Ohio Stadium would be the perfect place for a debris field. Go Blue.
D21
Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 12:30 a.m.
Behead all of Talbott's cameras then send him off to Jackson State Prison until after the Ohio-UM game. GO BLUE!
Bogie
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 9:52 p.m.
Has anyone checked the internet for Michigan players' autographs?
Kai Petainen
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 9:33 p.m.
Hey, can I get on the field to take a few photos? I think I'm a decent photographer.
David Briegel
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 9:19 p.m.
Did he park his Hummer by the tunnel?
MRunner73
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 8:46 p.m.
Someone tell me that this Talbott guy is really spying for Ohio State. The Michigan Athletic Department better scrutinize credentials to satellite media like iconsports.com. The Athletic Department should take a real close look at who is getting credentials because I would not putting it past the cheats of OH St to get some unfair advantage, aka "Spying". I wonder what else Talbott was taking pictures of at the Big House on a game day.
D21
Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 12:32 a.m.
Talbott probably is so enamored of the winged helmet so he took pixes of each winged helmet on the sideline.
David Vande Bunte
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 9:19 p.m.
As much as I generally abhor conspiracy theories, given his prior relationship to Terrelle Pryor and to Ohio State, I cannot immediately discount sabotage as a possibility. I wish I could, but given everything that has happened, it is at least plausible, if not probable. if he had done what he did at Indiana or Purdue or something, I would scoff at the suggestion of a conspiracy. But, it's Ohio State and Michigan. MRunner73, I really, really wish I could completely discount your suggestion...but I can't, not completely.
Peter
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 8:34 p.m.
Note to potential 'boosters' - make sure the U gets its cut, or you'll get cut.
Stephen Landes
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 8:23 p.m.
Dear Ann Arbor.com -- please publish a photo of this miscreant so all of us know who to lookout for. We do not need to have anything to do with him. Our student-athletes should also know who to steer clear of.
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 8:17 p.m.
As long as Main Street is closed from Stadium to Pauline does it really matter who's on the sidelines or how they "slight of handed" their way there?